Washboard attachment for bathtubs



Aug. 21, 1934.

G. C. PUMPHREY WASHBOARD ATTACHMENT FOR BATHTUBS Filed Jan. 18, 1953V f@ fb/'9.6

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Patented Aug. 21, 1934 PENT WASHBOARD ATTACHMNT FR BATHTUBS George C. Pumphrey, Washington, D. C.

Application January 18, 1938, Serial No. 652,368

2 anims.

This invention relates to certain new and use- `ful improvements in wash board attachment for bath tubs.

In vmany instances where washing apparatus y is not available, such as stationary laundry trays board so that light laundry work may be performed with a minimum of effort and in aneilicient manner.

A further object oi the invention is to provide a wash board attachment for bath tubs wherein 29' a wash board is adjustably mounted as to height relative to a supporting `frame that is removably mounted upon the upper edges of the side walls of a bath tub with means carried by the frame in cooperation with the wash board for maintaining the latter in adjusted position and for also maintaining the wash board assembled' with the supporting frame in a substantially housed condition when out of use.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawingz- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the supporting frame for the wash board with the latter removed therefrom and supported on the upper edges of the'side walls of a bath tub that is frag- 0g mentarily illustrated;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a bath tub with the supporting frame and wash board supported thereon in operative position;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the assembled supporting frame and wash board when out of use;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional View showing a side rail of the wash board engaged with supporting lugs carried by the upper and lower sides 505 of the side bars oi the supporting frame;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the side rails of the wash board lockingly engaged with a side bar of the supporting frame; and

% Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional View of the (c1. rss-29) supporting frame for the wash board showing the lugs at the upper and lower sides oi the side bars for binding engagement with the side rails of the wash board.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, there is illustrated a wash board attachment for bath tubs comprising a frame adapted to be mounted upon the upper edges of the side walls of a bath tub and with which frame the' wash board is adjustably associated and maintained at the desired height relative to the frame and tub and to also be collapsed with respect to the frame to occupy a position Within the frame when out of use so that the attachment comprising the frame and wash board will occupy a min-` imum of space, p

The frame is of rectangular formation and includes a pair of side bars 10 connected by apair of cross bars 11 and 12 set inwardly of opposite ends of the side bars and connected to the undersides oi the latter as shown in Figure 2. The connection between'the side' bars 10 and cross bar 11 includes a bolt and nut combination 13 while the connection between the side bars l0 and cross bar 12 that operates to maintain the supporting frame in rectangular formation includes an angle strap 14 secured as at 15 to the side bars 10 and cross bar 12, these parts being further connected' by the bolt and nut combination 16. To maintain the wash board supporting frame in position upon the upper rolled edges 17', and 17u of the side Walls 18 o'the bath tub, the lower edges of the side bars 10 outwardly of the cross bar 11 are provided with arcuate depressions 19 mating with the rolled edge 17 of the bath tub while the opposite ends of the side bars at the lower edges thereof are arcuately grooved as at 20 for engagement with the inner side of the rolled edge 17a of the bath tub. The supporting frame is further' restrained from movement by engagement of the cross bars 11 and 12 with the inner sides of the side walls of the tube as shown in Figure 2.

The Wash board is of a size to permit placement thereof between the side bars 10 and the supporting frame as illustrated in Figure 3 and comprises side rails 21 separated by the usual corrugated rubbing section 22 and soap tray 23, the lower ends of the side rails 21 extending beyond the rubbing section 22 and longitudinally slotted as at 24 for purposes presently to appear.

The connection between the wash board and supporting frame includes a pair of straps 25 and 26 respectively secured to the upper and lower edges of each side bar 10 as at 26a and the straps loo 25 and 26 carry an end projecting angle lug 27 and 28 respectively extending inwardly of the carrying side bar as shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 5. The lugs 27 and 28 are set in spaced vertical planes with the lugs carried by the side bars 10 being respectively transversely aligned. To position the wash board on the supporting frame, the side rails 2l have the lower ends thereof passed downwardly between the adjacent pair of lugs 27 and 28 and the wash board is then tilted to cause the lower edges of the side rail 10 to engage the adjacent edges of the lugs 27 and the upper edges of the side rails 10 to engage the edges of the lugs 28 for binding engagement with the rails and to initially set the wash board at the desired elevation with respect to the supporting frame and bath tub. To retain the wash board at the desired elevation, there is a limited degree of exibility in the side bars 10 that are adapted to be moved toward each other and into binding engagement with the outer faces of the side rails 2l or" the wash board by means of the cross tie rod 29 passing through the side bars 10 beneath the strap lugs 27, being threaded at their opposite ends for the reception of wing nuts 30 that are moved into engagement with the side bars to eiect movement thereof in a limited degree. The cooperative relation between the side rails 21 of the wash board and the supporting lugs carried by the side bars 10 is clearly illustrated in Figure 5, the lug arrangement 27 and 28 providing a binding or biting engagement with the side rails 21 or" the wash board as will be evident Vwhen pressure is exerted on the upper end oi the wash board in a downward direction. With the tie rod 29 operated for Causing binding engagement with the side bars 10 and rails 21, the wash board is eectively restrained from sliding movement relative to the supporting frame, but will be permitted to pivotally move between the side bars so that the board may be drained of excess water, or for other purposes. When the device is out of use, the wash board is positioned between the side bars 10 of the supporting frame with the slotted ends 241 of the side rails 21 moved between the lugs 27 and 28 with the rails 21 disposed parallel with the side bars 10 and said slotted ends 24 of the side rails are received onthe cross rod 29 as shown in Figure S to cooperate with the lugs to restrain the wash board from movement relative to the supporting frame. The thumb nuts 30 may then be tightened upon` the cross rod 29 'to :nove the side bars 10 into binding engagement withl the side rails 2l, for the rigid and immovable support of the wash board within the supporting frame.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed .that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent,

it being noted that where the usual laundry apparatus is inaccessible and as it is the custom of many persons to wash hosiery and light or delicate lingerie in the bath room, such washing may be accomplished in a more eflicient and less laborious manner by the user of the wash board attachment for bath tubs described herein.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be kmade therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

1. In a wash board attachment for bath tubs, a rectangular frame adapted to be horizontally mounted on the upper side edges of a bath tub and comprising side bars and cross bars, a pair of lugs carried by each side bar adjacent the same end, the lugs of each pair respectively carried by the upper and lower edges of the side bar and spaced longitudinally, and a wash board having side rails of less depth than the space between the lugs received between the pairs of lugs and adapted to be tilted into binding engagement with the lugs, and a tie rod between the side bars adapted to be operated for moving the side bars into binding engagement with the rails of the wash board for holding the wash board at the desired elevation with respect to the supporting frame, the lower endsl of the wash board rails being vslotted whereby when the wash board is iiatly positioned between the side bars, the rails are received between the upper and lower lugs of adjacent pairs with the slotted ends of the rails received on the tie rod.

2. In a wash board attachment for bath tubs, a rectangular frame adapted to be horizontally mounted on the upper side edges of a bath tub and comprising side bars and cross bars, a pair of lugs carried by each side bar adjacent the same end, the lugs of each pair respectively carried by the upper and lower edges of the side bar and spaced longitudinally, and a wash board having side rails of less depthrthan the space between the lugs received between the pairs of lugs and adapted to be tilted into binding engagement with the lugs, a tie rod between the side bars adapted to be operated for moving the side bars into binding engagement with the rails of the wash board for holding the wash board at the desired elevation with respect to the supporting frame, and said cross bars being engageable with the side walls of the tub to retain the frame in position thereon, the lower ends of the wash board rails being slotted whereby when the wash board is atly positioned between the side bars, the rails are received between the upper and lower lugs of adjacent pairs with the slotted ends of therails received on the tie rod.

GEORGE C. PUMPHREY. 

